The Washington Post reports, Georgia prosecutor requests special grand jury in probe of Trump’s efforts to overturn state’s election results:
In a letter Thursday, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) told the chief judge of Fulton County’s Superior Court that she has requested a special purpose grand jury to aid in her investigation because a “significant number of witnesses and prospective witnesses have refused to cooperate with the investigation absent a subpoena requiring their testimony.”
Willis cited Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) as an example. Willis has previously confirmed that part of her probe centers on the Jan. 2, 2021, phone call between Trump and Raffensperger in which Trump asked Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn Joe Biden’s win in the state’s presidential election.
Willis launched the criminal probe in February. At the time, a Trump spokesman dismissed the investigation, calling it “the Democrats’ latest attempt to score political points by continuing their witch hunt against President Trump.”
[In] her letter to Christopher S. Brasher, chief judge of Fulton County’s Superior Court, Willis cited several advantages to impaneling a rarely used special purpose grand jury.
Among them: It could sit for a longer period of time than a normal grand jury and it would focus solely on the matter at hand, which she called “appropriate to the complexity of the facts and circumstances involved.”
Willis noted that the type of grand jury she is requesting would not have the authority to return an indictment but could make recommendations concerning criminal prosecutions.
In an interview earlier this month with the Associated Press, Willis said that her team was making solid progress in its investigation.
“I believe in 2022 a decision will be made in that case,” Willis said. “I certainly think that in the first half of the year that decisions will be made.”
In her letter Thursday, Willis called Raffensperger “an essential witness to the investigation” and said he “has indicated that he will not participate in an interview or otherwise offer evidence until he is presented with a subpoena.”
Willis pointed to comments Raffensperger made during an October interview with Chuck Todd, host of NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“If she wants to interview me, there’s a process for that, and I will gladly participate in that because I want to make sure that I follow the law, follow the Constitution,” Raffensperger told Todd. “And when you get a grand jury summons, you respond to it.”
So you’re saying that you will cooperate now? Not a patriot enough to testify voluntarily?
Discover more from Blog for Arizona
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
UPDATE: “Georgia prosecutor granted special grand jury in probe of Trump’s efforts to overturn state’s election results”, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/01/24/georgia-prosecutor-granted-special-grand-jury-probe-trumps-efforts-overturn-states-election-results/
The Atlanta area prosecutor weighing whether former president Donald Trump and others committed crimes by trying to pressure Georgia election officials has been granted a special purpose grand jury to aid in her investigation.
Fulton County Superior Court judges on Monday approved the request made last week by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and said she will be allowed to seat a special grand jury on May 2, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
The special grand jury can continue for a period “not to exceed 12 months,” Christopher Brasher, chief judge of Fulton County Superior Court, wrote in an order.
“The special purpose grand jury shall be authorized to investigate any and all facts and circumstances relating directly or indirectly to alleged violations of the laws of the State of Georgia, as set forth in the request of the District Attorney referenced hereinabove,” he added. “The special purpose grand jury … may make recommendations concerning criminal prosecution as it shall see fit.”